How many of us secretly expected a disaster this past December 21st? How many of us rejected the idea of a good shift in consciousness but secretly believed in a Hollywood style finale last Friday, maybe because we crave those moments? We look for our fear-induced rush every day, and cannot see the junkies we have become. We don't see it because this drug not only makes you feel that “exciting fear" but it also gives us that delicious feelings of self-righteousness after seeing a tragedy occur. We wave our hands in the air and cry crocodile tears screaming at the newspaper/television/radio, asking “how can someone commit such awful actions” and we analyse obsessively the behaviour of the rapist/murderer/racist/terrorist while we ask our “God” why such disasters occurred. While we do it, the drug works its way into our bloodstream, giving us comfort, telling us 'you care about this, you are good people' and we go back to our daily routine slowly forgetting the tragedy occurred.

Like any substance addict, we soon need a new fix. We scan the television, smartphones, tablets, iPads or, perhaps like a traditional junkie, any newsstands searching for that 'fresh hit'. If a large dosage cannot be found - perhaps a deadly earthquake or a school shooting - we accept some of the little ones - a rape here or a violent murder there - and we call it “being informed”. “You need to know what is happening in the world” we say, believing we can stop using this drug any day we choose.

The media and the government know better. They know the permanent nature of this drug, and they know how to maintain it; so you turn on whichever communication devices you prefer, and your pusher is there, forever faithful, bombarding our blood stream with tragedies, attacks, wars, hatred and more while their ratings and popularity grows by the minute. Soon we find ourselves looking for drama and wrongdoings in every corner. We watch reality shows about useless members of society, watching their pointless walk through life and the self-righteousness rush hits again as we say to ourselves: “thankfully I'm not that spoiled/fake/greedy”. The vendors know and simply create more supplies for the increasing demand until the drug gives the desired effect: we are crippled by fear, thanking our “God” the bad thing did not happen to us, and we withdraw from our brothers and sisters; we decide to stay inside our homes, barring the windows and doors and, unconsciously, deciding to live and let die.

December 21st, 2012 is over and we are still alive. There was no giant volcano exploding, or a worldwide earthquake followed by huge tsunami waves, and there are no zombies eating our flesh; and we make jokes, feeling disappointed. Today is just another day and here we are shrugging our shoulders, going about our business, looking for a new fix failing to see the opportunity. Every day we wake up is a new chance at living, a chance at rehab, expelling the poison from our bodies. A new chance to see that for every awful thing that happens, many good deeds are done daily. We get to wake up today and maybe realize that, despite all the denominators we have used, "Blacks", "Whites", "Religious", "Atheist"," Gays", "Straight", "Women", "Men", there is one that embraces all of us showing us that unity, acceptance and love can heal the most damaged of societies and teaches us that we, to quote Alan Watts, “...grow from this world like apples grow out of a tree” and should take care of each other without fear or judgment.

I know the task will not be easy. I ask you not to see this as a simple philosophical opinion without any logical support but as one of many opinions on how a change in thoughts can be the beginning of a brand-new loving and accepting society. And maybe you will share this opinion already expressed by many: that December 21st will mark the start of a change of consciousness and this article will not rattle the men of logic and realism but it will just make all of us, think. That is my wish...